Free State Project

[Nonesuch]

Originally Posted by tkx7

I think it's only a matter of years before one of the libertarian candidates is elected governor in NH- they usually have the best ideas of the 3 major platforms and they are getting more media recognition

Maybe less...

As of an hour ago, we've got Andrew Hemingway running for governor. He's the former chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, so basically he's in both camps, has a (L) foot and a (R) foot.

[Know Nonsense]

This actually sounds like cult-ish communism . Bring lots of money, we are just about plumb out.

[jbeforeb]

Originally Posted by Nonesuch

20K people will have an impact on the political situation only if they can be persuasive and convince the existing 741K voters to go along with their ideas. Certainly 20,000 people can't "take over" a state with 1.3 million residents, despite the alarmism from progressives such as Rep. Cynthia Chase:


With around 2K supporters in the state today, the Free State Project currently has 11 members serving in the NH house. If the FSP brings in 10x as many voters and elects 110 members (out of 400 total) to the statehouse, would that not have an impact on the political situation?

It would, you're absolutely right but just how many people can you persuade when they can't be persuaded to even stop smoking cigs, put on a seat belt, or change their attitude. Not that I want to make them stop through government but we all know smoking cigs is bad and putting on a seat belt is good and they still do it. This would be a big thing if we had more people but most libertarians and frankly people, would prefer to move to Hampshire if the state had better paying jobs, a better quality of life, or something like that. I wouldn't move there just because their philosophically political ideologies are the same as mine. I would move there if I can make more money, have better bike paths, a theme park, nice beaches but it doesn't have any of that. But hey, I commend this group for trying and I wish them the best of luck and let's see if this experiment can work and if libertarian theories can also work.

[Nonesuch]

Originally Posted by jbeforeb

It would, you're absolutely right but just how many people can you persuade when they can't be persuaded to even stop smoking cigs, put on a seat belt, or change their attitude. Not that I want to make them stop through government but we all know smoking cigs is bad and putting on a seat belt is good and they still do it.

I think it will be easy for newcomers from FSP to sell long-term granite-heaaded New Hampshire voters on an agenda of lower taxes and less government intrusion in their lives.

It's easier to convince people to vote to lower their tax bill than to convince people to stop smoking or put on a seat belt (particularly since seat belts aren't mandatory in NH, and unlike Progressives, the Free State Project does not aim to change that).

This would be a big thing if we had more people but most libertarians and frankly people, would prefer to move to Hampshire if the state had better paying jobs, a better quality of life, or something like that. I wouldn't move there just because their philosophically political ideologies are the same as mine. I would move there if I can make more money, have better bike paths, a theme park, nice beaches but it doesn't have any of that. But hey, I commend this group for trying and I wish them the best of luck and let's see if this experiment can work and if libertarian theories can also work.

I did not move to New Hampshire because of the Free State Project (some of their planks I disagree with). Nor did I move here to make more money. Rather, I moved to New Hampshire because I can make the same amount of money, and keep more of it, and not have a nanny state telling me how to live my life.